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End of the Year Wrap Up

© Sara Dellinger

Here we are at the end of the year, Christmas is past, along with the fois gras and smoked salmon, and we're looking forward to New Year's, the Euro, and all the "Best Wishes for the New Year".

We got through the Christmas shopping period. Big shopping centers were full, but rarely packed. Was it the economy or was it because we are nervous in crowded public places? At the shopping center at Montparnasse, located next to a tall tower in Paris, military personnel armed with machine guns are actively patrolling the halls. Reassuring or a reminder of the times we live in now? In any case, many retailers say their profits were lower with less big sales than last year. People seem to be spending; just spending less

It's funny, the differences between France and the U.S. when it comes to celebrating Christmas. I remember sending out Christmas cards as early as the first week of December back home. Here in France, I've been informed, Christmas is mostly for the kids and the French have the entire month of January to say Happy New Year. It was truly an exercise of control to hold off sending my greeting cards so that they would arrive on the 23rd or 24th of December. Several arrived at my home on the 27th and 28th.

Many French work the 24th and then have the big family dinner the same night followed by a visit from Father Christmas (Père Noel) and the opening of presents. Back home in the States, my family began preparing the family dinner on Christmas Eve and woke up on the 25th to open presents over a late breakfast. The big turkey or ham dinner was eaten late in the afternoon.

So now it's on the New Years. 2002 is when things will really change. We were apprehensive about the passage to Y2k. For 2002 and the Euro, we are stoically marching forward, gritting our teeth and reading the prices in both currencies. I've already started writing checks in Euros, having received my first Euro checkbook a month ago.

I received my first "kit" of Euros, a handful of coins a few weeks ago. I haven't been able to spend them, so I've been spending time handling them, admiring their shiny, new appearance and getting used to their feel. New coins are always pretty. These are exceptional. They came wrapped in plastic and hadn't even a scratch. I took them out and stroked the smooth metal. I slid them sensually through my fingers and had a hard time imagining that I would actually be spending them soon. But in just a few days, that's exactly what I will do, along with every other person in the European Union. Of course we have until the 17th of January to use up any leftover French Francs. This is the transition period while people still pay in cash using French Francs and receive their change in Euros. Yes, we'll want to check and double check the amount. In fact, I don't think this will be much of a problem for me; the next time I take money out of the ATM machine, it will be in Euros.

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